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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22955485">A Shattered World</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/awanderingmuse/pseuds/awanderingmuse'>awanderingmuse</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>World Travelers [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Break Up, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Slash, prolouge</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 12:09:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,771</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22955485</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/awanderingmuse/pseuds/awanderingmuse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes the world seems to fall apart suddenly. For Percy it seems as if his world is shattering on a near daily basis. There’s only so much a demigod can take, and if he stopped to think about it for a moment, he’d realize he’s at his breaking point. Then he finds the answer in a monster attack in the Pacific.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Nico di Angelo/Percy Jackson, No Romantic Relationship(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>World Travelers [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1649647</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>57</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Percy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Y'all didn't really think I could leave a story alone, did you? Welcome to the prologue of A World Apart. </p><p>This is entirely BobInTheComments and likegallows fault. Of course the whole series is likegallows fault so what else is new really? </p><p>Thanks guys for all the advice and support! And to my readers for making writing this so much fun that I can't seem to stop writing on it. </p><p>Pay attention to the end note please, I have a question I actually need an answer to!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Percy</h1><h2>Camp Jupiter, United States</h2><p>
  <strong> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcoClgJx_2Y"> <em> <span class="u">Krosah</span> </em> </a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcoClgJx_2Y"> <span class="u">by E.S.Posthumus</span></a></strong>
</p><p>Percy feels his muscles relax as he lets the currents propel him through the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean. It's early spring but the red tide hasn't been terrible this year, meaning he can swim as long as he wants without worrying about getting sick. Part of him wants to sink to the seafloor and see if he can't find a nice place to camp out for the night. </p><p>Ideally he'd have brought a backpack with supplies to keep warm. Maybe even some food and bottled water since drinking sea water doesn't do anything for him. It doesn't dehydrate him like it would anybody else but it doesn't hydrate him. It's like trying to drink air. </p><p>The more Percy thinks about it the more he realizes that he probably should go back home. He has a paper due in his mandatory political science class tomorrow. The professors at the New Rome university weren't very forgiving about late work. </p><p>It often felt like they were even harder on him because he was one of the seven. The fact that school had never been something he was even remotely good at didn't matter. </p><p>It was much the same all over New Rome and even worse if he tried to get a moment of respite practicing sword work with the Legion. The way those kids looked up to him was embarrassing. Adding more pressure when all Percy wanted was to relax and be a normal guy for five seconds. Not a hero.</p><p>Just thinking about school and camp made spending the night in the ocean seem like the best prospect, but he couldn't. If he spent another night in the ocean without telling anyone, having done so earlier in the week, Annabeth would actually murder him. </p><p>Sighing, and making a bunch of bubbles that make the nearby fish laugh, Percy begins swimming to the surface. Maybe he'll make plans to come out here for the weekend. If it was a whole weekend he could probably even make it out to one of the nearby mervillages he's been working on befriending. For them he was more of an oddity than a big hero, a change Percy was indescribably grateful for. </p><p>As he draws closer to the surface he sees the long body of a drakon in the natural shadows of the ocean. It appears to be circling something, likely prey, but he can't tell what it's after. He carefully lets the currents carry him closer. Not wanting to disturb the water in a way that may alert the monster to his presence.</p><p>Once closer he is able to look up and see that the monster is circling a boat. A rather large catamaran by the squarish shape of the shadow the boat casts. It's big but not one of those boats that are so large they're absurd. This boat could still run under sail. </p><p>Most of the demigods in this area are Roman and not at all interested in sailing. That means that it is likely being sailed by a mortal. The monster must be pretty hungry to be going for it. </p><p>Having drawn very near the path of the monster now Percy pauses the currents. The monster is far closer to the surface than Percy. When it breaches the surface he's going to have to use all the held pressure to shoot after it. Hopefully the plan works and he's able to land somewhere on the Drakon. Otherwise the mortal will be dead and this whole exercise will be kind of pointless. </p><p>The moment comes and Percy lets the current go, smashing into the monster's side just as it is rising out of the ocean to smash down on the boat. The mortal on board screams, letting Percy know that it's a man he's saving. Now that he's got the monster's attention he is able to lead it away from the catamaran.</p><p>It ends up being more of a chase than a fight. Ending when Percy is able to get far enough ahead that he can hide and surprise the monster again. This time stabbing it with riptide in the soft scales where it's neck meets its body just like they learned at camp. When it works and the monster dust begins to fall to the ocean floor he all but collapses in exhaustion.</p><p>For most people that would be a death sentence for Percy it means that he takes a moment to lay suspended in the water as he catches his breath. Percy is  not sure he has enough energy to swim back to the shore, even if he uses the currents to support him. </p><p>It's as he's trying to catch his breath that he realizes that the catamaran has followed him, or more aptly the monster.  They're probably a clear sighted mortal wanting to make sure he wasn't murdered. Percy should probably go do something about that before they decide to jump in. He killed the monster but that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of sharks around. </p><p>Breaking the surface of the water Percy sees a guy leaning over the railing looking anxiously into the water. He's the old grizzly sailor type, there's no telling what such a man is doing sailing such a beautiful recreational sailboat alone. He'd expect him to be on something much more industrial with a whole crew beneath him. He's old enough though that it's possible he's retired. </p><p>"Hey!" Percy yells to get his attention. "I know you don't know me and this whole thing is probably rather alarming for you but do you think you could give me a lift home."</p><p>"Come on aboard." The man yells back. Which is how Percy ends up aboard a ship called the <em> Seaking </em> with a stranger. </p><p>"That really was some fancy work. Though I have to say I've seen a lot of strange things on the ocean, but never anything that strange."</p><p>It turns out his name is Captain Opo and he was sailing his boat one last time before he sold it. His wife was tired of the upkeep and had convinced him that in their old age it was better to rent one when needed. Percy had the sense that he didn't agree but had resigned himself to his wife's wishes. </p><p>"Honestly after nearly being squished by that giant sea monster I feel a lot better about not coming out here as often." The old man finishes his story. "That thing was enormous and came up so fast I nearly had a heart attack. And then the way you just shot out of the water after it. Crazy, kid. Don't know how you did it." </p><p>Percy shrugs. He's not allowed to tip off the mortals after all. Still if the man is clear sighted it's a bit easier. "It happens more often than you'd expect. I'm just glad I was in the right place at the right time." </p><p>"Swimming several miles off the coast?" The man asks skeptically.</p><p>'Yeah." Percy says. He can't tell the man he's a demigod or even that he had anything that the man might interpret as superpowers. Still the man could probably figure it out as he never came for air in the last twenty minutes of fighting. "Just out for a swim. I needed to clear my head."</p><p>The old sailor bites his lip thoughtfully. "You do that a lot?"</p><p>More and more often, it's almost to the point that he hits the water on a daily basis, would be the honest answer. "From time to time." </p><p>"Hmmmm." The man says but that seems to be the end of whatever he's thinking. "Would you mind helping me get my ship back to the dock? I know I'm not the one who did the fighting but an adrenaline rush like that is tiring for an old man."</p><p>"Okay." Percy agrees because he might not be doing his best for pretty much everyone in his life right now but his mom raised him better than to let the elderly suffer.</p><p>Besides it's not that hard to help out with the sailing, especially when the old man seems very willing to turn a blind eye to his using his powers for labor intensive tasks.</p><p>The boat sails like a dream. He'd been thinking more and more about taking a long trip far away on a boat like this. And this one responded to his will effortlessly. It cut through the water with ease and didn't have any structural issues as far as he could tell. If the guy wasn't likely selling it for the cost of a small house Percy would be dying to buy it from him. </p><p>It's been dark for hours by the time they get the boat into the dock. The battle with the sea serpent had taken longer than he'd expected. And honestly he'd been out too long before that. There was no way he was going to get his paper done, especially since he'd be up into the early hours of the morning arguing with Annabeth now.</p><p>It almost seems worth it to skip the class, but too many missed classes at New Rome University and you had to do the semester over. With an added helping of general Roman shaming because it was New Rome.  He'd talked to several of his friends who'd opted for normal college, most other universities weren't like that and Percy hated it just a little bit. </p><p>He helps the man tie the boat to the dock but when he stands to let the man know he is good to go there isn't anyone around. Checking the water with his senses Percy boards the boat and walks around it hoping to find the old man. All he finds is the boat's keys, ownership papers and a note.</p><p>The note reads:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>Thanks for saving my hide out there. I don't need her anymore but it seems like you could use her. She's the <em> Seaking </em> and under your hands I'm sure she'll sail the world. I get the sense you have a life, so know that the dock is paid for through the year. You're more than welcome to leave her here. Wishing you all the best. </p>
  <p>
    <em> - Captain Opo </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>Now that he has somewhere to stay that will be so much better than simply laying out on the ocean floor Percy is very tempted to stay the night. But he owes it to Annabeth to go home and try and explain what happened, at the very least. He had a sneaking suspicion she wouldn't be very happy about the boat or about the ideas he was already beginning to have about things he could do with it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Percy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Percy</h1><h2>Camp Jupiter, United States</h2><p>
  <strong> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH8Kb8bRzBI"> <em> <span class="u">Icarus</span> </em> </a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH8Kb8bRzBI"> <span class="u">by Two Steps from Hell</span></a></strong>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy wakes up groggily to someone shaking him awake. As he'd expected Annabeth had not been pleased at all when he finally chose to come home seven hours later from a walk he'd taken at four in the afternoon. What he hadn't expected was to find the rest of the seven in their one bedroom apartment worriedly discussing a search plan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There'd been a lot of yelling while everyone tried to find a way to leave as quietly as possible. Annabeth had ended up in tears demanding to know why he wasn't more excited to be starting their life while Percy was left at a loss for what to say. She'd taken his silence as confirmation and told him that she thought they needed to take a break until he sorted out what it was exactly he wanted from life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She told him he was welcome to sleep on the couch until they were able to figure out suitable separate living situations. Percy felt like he was just there to watch. He didn't want to break up, even if they were still friends, but he didn't know how to stop it either.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nearly went back to his boat right then and there. He'd been so exhausted from the battle, the sailing and the argument that he basically passed out on the couch before he'd even thought to move.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he wakes he's cold. He blinks his eyes open to find that Nico di Angelo is standing over him. His hand on his shoulder shaking him awake. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nico? What?" Percy asks but Nico puts a finger on his lips jerking his head towards the bedroom door. A reminder that Annabeth is sleeping and likely won't appreciate being woken up.  She will have class in the morning and unlike Percy she will actually want to go. The difficulty of the evening won't be seen as an excuse to ignore her responsibilities. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A quick glance at his clock confirms that it is five in the morning and he's only been asleep for about three hours. Percy yawns and follows Nico out the door when he indicates he wants to talk in the hallway. Percy grabs his shoes hoping that there's a reason Nico snuck into their apartment to wake him. He wonders if he knew Percy would be on the couch. If he did he wonders if it's because Hazel told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wonders if Nico cares. Ever since Nico told Percy he'd had a crush on him it was all that Percy could think about. He wasn't sure he could say the feelings were returned. Nico was cute and all but they'd also known each other since the kid was ten and had a lot of history that Percy wasn't sure Nico could actually get over in practice. Still it was a distracting thought when things were getting rough between him and Annabeth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nico wasn't the first guy Percy had noticed, nor would he be the last. But, at least right now, it was easier to not deal with all the questions that particular line of questioning would bring up. As much as he hated everything about it he had an image to maintain. He couldn't imagine or frankly handle the criticism he'd receive if he started dating guys. Not right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Heard you had a rough night." Nico says once they're in the hall and not likely to wake Annabeth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah." Percy says. He doesn't want to talk about it and definitely not with Nico. Honestly, at this point, he's had enough rest he could probably make it back to the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Seaking</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He wasn't sure what he'd do after that but it'd be a place to sleep without interruption since no one knows that he now owns a boat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When it becomes clear that Percy isn't going to say anything else about it Nico nods like it's what he expected anyway. "I'm sorry to bother you after such a rough night, but Eurytion needs help and you're the only other person I could think of who might actually care."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That declaration wakes Percy up. He hasn't seen the god for a while but he'd stopped by after the Giant wars during the summer. Partially to take a moment for himself and partially to see how one of the few gods he might actually call a friend was doing. It ended in doing some farm work but the god had put in just as much effort so Percy didn't mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah. What's going on?" Percy asks checking his pocket to make sure he has Riptide, even though the answer to that question is always yes and has been since he was twelve years old. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It turns out he'd gotten an order of Katoblepas before Frank killed them all." Nico says and he sounds about as happy as Percy feels about the news. Percy of course hadn't been there for that fight but he'd heard about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They must have been in transit when he visited. That doesn't keep him from being annoyed by the fact.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why?" Percy demands aghast at the idea that there were poisonous cows still wandering around and that Eurytion of all people would think it's a good idea to keep them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nico shrugs. "He said he had some people who might buy them and since he's a god he didn't expect them to give him any trouble."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well it sounds like that backfired." Percy says dryly. If his friend needs help he'll go help but he desperately wants to go back to bed, preferably far away from all of this on his new boat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Badly." Nico agrees. "He says that somehow they all got out and are roaming the South Texas countryside. Since we know someone who managed to kill some he figured we'll know how to handle it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why can't he?" Percy asks. Ever since they got rid of Greyon Euryition hasn't been afraid to get down and do the dirty work himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He's got to make sure Apollo's sun cows don't follow the katoblepas out of the ranch. Apparently they'd done extensive damage to the fencing around there. The good news is that we won't have to worry about keeping them alive. Eurytion says they've been nothing but trouble and he's fine if we send them all to slaughter." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, that's good I guess." Percy says sarcastically. It would have been better if Eurytion had left them all in Venice for Frank to have killed three years ago. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They're walking out of the apartment now to go to the stables. As much as Nico hates Pegasus travel it will be the best way to get to Texas. Shadow Travel would technically be faster but since Nico just got back from one of his little trips he's probably done enough shadow travel for the week. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the past year Nico had taken to going to other parts of the world for breaks, though Percy wasn't sure what from. He and Will had broken up because Will wanted to go school and Nico didn't want to do anything really it seemed. Something Percy would love to talk to him about because he felt the same but Nico clammed up every time he tried.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So where did you run off to last night anyways?" Nico asks leaning on the stall door while Percy gets two Pegasus ready for the trip. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I went for a swim." Percy says. All his friends know that it doesn't mean at a pool but for hours in the ocean without ever coming up for breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Need to clear your mind again?" The again rings with judgement, just like everything everyone says these days does. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah." Percy snaps making Nico withdraw. He feels guilty for that. He's been trying so hard to treat Nico better, to let the other demigod know they're friends and here he is taking his head off for asking a question. "Killed a drakon that was terrorizing a mortal. Helped the mortal get back to land. Got a free boat out of it." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"A free boat?" Nico demands as they walk their Pegasus' out of the stable. "Like a kayak?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No. A gorgeous catamaran. About forty feet, sails like an absolute dream. She's called the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Seaking</span>
  </em>
  <span> and, I don't know, with everything happening, I think I may take her out for a while soon." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nico stops walking to where they will mount the Pegasus' in favor of giving him a really strange look. "Who in Hades gives someone a free boat?" The question is harsh and judgmental and it makes Percy want to recoil, but he's also trying to gain Nico's friendship because the other child of the Big Three is important to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"People who are very nice and very grateful to not be sea monster food." Percy says because maybe in Nico's world it isn't that simple. And maybe he needs to hear more about kindness. Percy knows he feels like he could see more kindness these days, it's part of why he's so grateful for the gift of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Seaking</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead of understanding how nice of a gift it was though Nico remains suspicious. Pinching the bridge of his nose he says, "Sure. Whatever. Let's just get to Eurytion. He's been expecting us for a while." </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi everyone!</p><p>Seriously, please please please leave me your ships! they can be super obscure. You can think they're probably super weird. I'm not here to judge. I'm working on a challenge to keep me writing on days that I can't work on these bigger projects. I need 100 ships and I've only got 40. Thanks for your help loves!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Percy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Percy</h1><h2>Triple G Ranch, United States</h2><p>
  <strong> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoZnQNtrO2k"> <em> <span class="u">Big Sky</span> </em> </a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoZnQNtrO2k"> <span class="u">by Two Steps from Hell</span></a></strong>
</p><p>The flight to the Triple G ranch is as restful as a flight can be. Made more so by the fact that Percy is able to ask his Pegasus to give him a heads up if anything goes wrong and take a midair nap. When it's time to fight the Katoblepas he's much more rested and ready to face the day.</p><p>They land in front of the main house to find Eurytion waiting for them on the porch. He comes down the steps to meet them instead of waiting for them to come to him. A gentle reminder why Percy respects the god so much. It's true that he had to be rescued from Greyon like some kind of helpless something. Still, he'd shown actual gratitude and treated the demigods as if they weren't automatically below him. </p><p>"Thanks for coming on such short notice." Eurtyiton says as soon as he's in range. He immediately goes to soothe Nico's pegausus so the Son of Hades can actually get off. It'd been side stepping anxiously since they'd landed though it seemed alright in flight. Percy would ask but he has a feeling his half of the conversation would put Nico on the defensive. </p><p>"Don't mention it, Eurytion." Nico says once his feet hit the ground. Percy knows he's become something resembling friends with the god as this is a place he stops often when he is wandering the world. Hazels mentioned it the few times Percy has ended up at her and Frank's apartment far too distressed over trying to be what everyone wants him to be to go home and far too exhausted from trying to go swim. "We wanted to come."</p><p>Percy nods but doesn't say anything else because the truth is that he didn't want to come. He felt horrible that his friend was struggling and would be delighted that the issues had been handled. But to be called upon to fix it was just another expectation. If there are evil poison cows, you have to have Percy come kill them. He's best for that and every other heroic task under the sun. Percy just wanted to hide under a rock and do nothing for a decade. </p><p>"Well, I sure do appreciate it." Eurytion says earnestly. "Tell you what, if you can get those katobleps handled real quick then I'll make sure there's breakfast in it for you." </p><p>The prospect of breakfast perks Percy's interest. He's still exhausted but at least he'll be fed. Eurytion always did make a good old ranch fry up. "Now you're talking." Percy says, "So where are the cows?" </p><p>Nico snorts at his question but there really isn't a better way to ask. He needs to know where the thing he's supposed to be killing is so he can get on that. He also needs a plan but he's hoping Nico already has that.</p><p>He could of course use the monsters own poison against it but the success of that would depend on several things. If there were a lot of monsters then it wasn't likely that he could take down a significant enough portion of the herd for it to matter in a fight. And if they were immune to themselves in some way it would be even less helpful.</p><p>"They escaped through the East Pasture." Eurytion says helpfully. "I figure they're probably grazing off the banks of the San Jacinto somewhere further down."</p><p>That was terribly undescriptive and unhelpful. Of course Eurytion was great at farmwork but he hadn't struck Percy as someone with a lot of drive. It's how Greyon took over in the first place and why he and Nico were here to fix a problem Eurytion could easily handle himself if he wanted to. </p><p>"Then we best get started." Percy says gesturing for Nico to head off with him. Then remembering someone should get the pegasus' to where they can eat calls over his shoulder. "You don't mind keeping an eye on the pegasus' do you Eurytion?"</p><p>"Least I can do Percy." Eurytion calls back. And so they continue walking away. </p><p>"So, do you have any idea on how we should do this?" Percy asks once they're away from the main house and headed towards the fencing of the far east pasture. Luckily the lay out of the Triple G ranch hasn't changed all that much even with the passing of the years. </p><p>"I've had one thought but you're going to hate it." Nico says, and at least he's being honest instead of tricking Percy into doing it his way anyways. Well, Percy thinks the other demigod is being honest. He hopes so at any rate.</p><p>"Okay." Percy says neutrally. "Well the only idea I've had isn't likely to actually work in practice and honestly, I'd rather not use that aspect of my power if I can avoid it. So, let's hear what you've got."</p><p>Nico grins and Percy nearly wants to take it back. That grin is the kind of grin that absolutely guarantees trouble. If they go with Nico's plan Percy is certain that there is some high chance that one or both of them dies. Annabeth would be able to have an actual percentage on that but she was smarter than Percy in the first place.</p><p>That's why she hated him after all. </p><p>"You're not going to like your part of it." Nico says carefully. Like he wants to get Percy rejecting the plan out of the way before he's actually even said anything about the content of his plan. </p><p>"Nico?" Percy asks. "What do you think we should do?"</p><p>"I want you to anger the cow's and cause them to stampede." Nico says happily. "I can sense a burial ground nearby. If you run them through that then I can have the dead take care of the monsters."</p><p>"I just have to not die of lets see, trampling, poison, or being speared on a horn?"</p><p>"Exactly." Nico says brightly. Percy almost thinks the other demigod has to be joking but he hasn't heard NIco make a real joke ever and there isn't a reason for it to start now. </p><p>Percy hates this plan, but he hates it just a little less than he hates his own. "Fine." </p><p>"Good." Nico says his tone suddenly grave, "Because I think I've found them."</p><p>Percy looks in the direction Nico is looking in and sure enough the monsters are right there. Right now they don't seem particularly inclined to do anything but graze on the plants growing around the river. Everything else around them is steadily dying due to the poisons Percy can feel coming from their noses.</p><p>"How do I make them stampede?" He asks helplessly. Percy does not want  to run through a field of poison. He's not actually poison resilient. </p><p>Nico gives him a long look. "I mean, we can come up with something else?"</p><p>There wasn't anything else, and they both know it. "Wish me luck." Percy says in response and takes off towards the cows. He's not quite sure what he's going to do once he gets there but he's sure it will be stupid.</p><p>As he joins the cows Percy draws Riptide. Slicing the katoblepas with his sword definitely agitates them but being capable of self defense their first answer isn't to run like a normal cow herd would.</p><p>They turn inward on him the poison from their breath and eyes pooling around him. Percy can reach out to the particles and dilute it but he's going to have to get away from here fast. That's when Percy remembers the river. </p><p>The next thing Percy learns is that cows don't like being attacked by a tsunami. Finally they start running away from the river. The third thing Percy learns is that cows aren't likely to go where you want them to go unless you know what you're doing. Instead of running past Nico as Percy had wanted the head directly for the unsuspecting demigod.</p><p>Percy can't have that. Running and then gliding across the water left by his tsunami Percy wades back into the cloud of poison surrounding the katoblepas. Nico realized that he was about to be trampled and did his part to summon the skeletons but since they weren't near the cemetery yet they had to come to them.</p><p>It meant if Percy didn't distract the cows before then they would be overrun. Percy does what he did the first time and starts stabbing monsters with riptide. A few turn to dust but quite a few get away and turn their attention to him. He does succeed in getting the herds attention away from Nico.</p><p>The fight is difficult. There are just too many monsters, and his limbs weaken as he breathes in their noxious breath. He sees the skeletons coming over the hill just as his vision starts to darken around the edges. He hears Nico shout something but he can't make out what as the katoplebas gather round him as if they sense his weakness. The last thought Percy has is that at least he won't have to deal with everyone knowing what a loser he is since he'll be dead.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Happy Sunday y'all. Ship's please! You can also drop the in my  on Tumblr if you'd like!!! It's by the same name. Thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Percy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Percy</h1>
<h2>Camp Jupiter, United States</h2>
<p>
  <strong> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KHjIxqhX5Q"> <em> <span class="u">Satorius</span> </em> </a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KHjIxqhX5Q"> <span class="u">by Jo Blackenburg</span></a></strong>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Percy wakes up in his apartment in New Rome. He's alone on what, until last night, was his and Annabeth's bed. He doesn't want to move but he hears voices down the hall. More importantly he thinks he hears the sound of Annabeth crying. He doesn't want to have Annabeth cry anymore. Definitely not over him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There'd been enough of that over the past months as they both adjusted to tougher classes in New Rome. Or rather Annabeth adjusted and Percy floundered drastically. Tiredly Percy pulls himself out of bed. He knows the weakness he's feeling has to be from the poison, but he can't help but feel like it's just another point against him. Look at dumb slow Percy, he can't even drag himself out of bed when the woman he loves is crying. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Its okay Annabeth." Hazel is saying. "Nico got Percy back. That's all that matters. Right?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I just don't understand what he was thinking." Annabeth snaps tearfully and Percy realizes that she wasn't upset that he was unconscious like he'd been hoping. She's upset that he'd done another dumb stunt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> He let's that stand as another strike against himself that he'd wanted Annabeth sad. "He was too tired to go to school, but not to almost get himself killed apparently. Not that the school matters. A courier brought a note by this morning. He's being expelled because he isn't putting in enough effort.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh, good, he's been expelled again. Percy decides he doesn't want to stick around to find out what else Annabeth is thinking about the quest gone so very wrong. Surely she has some strategy in mind that he should have done. Something that would have finished out the katoblepas nicely and let everybody get home without breaking sweat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And he definitely didn't want or need to know her opinions on his getting kicked out of yet another school. Who cares he tells himself acridly. It doesn't matter. He doesn't want to go to college anyhow. He doesn't know what he wants to do, but it's not that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It's not like she had any right to pretend to care anyways. Annabeth was the one who thought Percy needed space to get his head on straight so she didn't get to have a say on how he did or did not handle a battle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fuming, Percy sneaks out the front door to take a walk. He can still feel his body trying to regain its strength after the burn of the poison. He probably won't get very far before he needs to sit for a bit. It's humiliating and Percy hates it even more. At least no one will care enough to find him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He heads towards the forum, it's not where he wants to go. He'd rather make it to Neptune's temple but that would be another leg of the walk. As he walks his anger fades and Percy is left feeling embarrassed. No wonder Annabeth didn't want him anymore. It was a miracle Nico had even wanted to take Percy with him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was useless and yet people kept expecting so much of him. It seemed kind of inevitable that something would happen to bring the act of respectable hero finally crashing around his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The main fountain of the Forum is in sight when it becomes clear that Percy's legs will give out if he doesn't find a place to sit fairly quickly. He chooses a bench just off the main forum. Its protected from the sun which was not helping his probably already elevated body temperature at all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He puts his head between his hand and does what he can to catch his breath. Hopefully no one he knows finds him like this. Wouldn't that be great to add to the list of ways that Percy is a failure. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It's because he's in such a secluded spot that he can hear the conversations of the legionaries as they pass. Mostly it's nothing private complaints about chores, and planning for War Games. Still there's also a fair amount of gossip as there always is. He lets it all wash over him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah." one girl tells another as they make their way back to the barracks with coffee from Bombadils. "I heard they broke up. She's looking for a new place because she can't even stand being in the same place as him." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wonders who that poor bastard is. If they said a name maybe he could find the guy and the could get drinks. Not alcoholic ones, of course, but drinks. Talk about it. Or they could try to kill each other in the arena, once Percy is well, that could be fun too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The next pair wanders by with another gossipy tidbit. "Yeah, he basically dropped out." A guy told a girl sounding disappointed. "It's a total disgrace. I heard he had potential but kept refusing to do the work."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They'd be saying that about Percy soon. The thought adds weight to his shoulder. He sighs his head hanging lower.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Gone completely off the wall." This pair of guys stops to watch the Forum bustle by them. Percy wonders if there are any duties they are neglecting. The likely answer is yes and Percy should probably remind them but he can't be made to care.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I hear he barely even fought on the quest. Nearly got Nico killed by a bunch of monsters for no good reason besides being stupid and wanting all the glory to himself."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That can't be."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The other shrugs. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Percy wasn't aware of any ongoing quests involving Nico. That would explain his absence in the apartment though. Despite something in the back of his head telling him to walk away Percy leans in to listen. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I heard that he's losing everything and just ran off again like it doesn't matter." The other whispers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I mean you can't know how he thinks." The other says, "I mean he is you know…"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Percy is getting a feeling that they may all be talking about the same person and that makes his heart sink. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"He's a Graceus. We treat him like one of us, but he's not." The other soldier says and Percy knows with terrible certainty that all of these people are talking about him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Percy stands up suddenly needing to go, somewhere. Anywhere that isn't New Rome. Everybody knows that Percy Jackson isn't the big time hero they want him to be and they all hate him now. That's what is clear. He sees a Pegasus being led through the forum, probably for war games, and considers borrowing it. The Pegasus can get itself home once he's out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Percy!" Annabeth's voice demands from behind him making the people closest to them in the forum turn to stare.  She sounds angry and Percy can't deal with finding out what he's done wrong now. "What are you doing?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He tries to walk away, not sure where he's going to go, only knowing that he must get away. But, never one to leave a question unanswered Annabeth follows and grabs him by the elbow. "Percy come on. We're going to talk about this."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Percy sees white. The next thing he knows Annabeth is crying out as his arm jerks free from her grip. "We're not!" Percy hears himself snap harshly. "I'm done with this place and everyone it. You all expect too much and I'm not playing the games any more. "</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Everyone's staring now. He's really blown it. He's got to go somewhere, and there's only one place there won't be repercussions for his actions. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The pegasus whinnies and Percy runs to it, hopping on it's back before the legionaries who are supposed to be watching it can recognize what is happening. Percy will send her back as soon as they get to the docks anyway.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey?" The Pegasus asks as they soar over the Little Tiber and towards the Marina. "Are you okay?:</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Just get me to the Marina." Percy begs. "Please, you can go home then. I'll even give you an apple. Just get me to the docks." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, but are you okay." The Pegasus tires again. "I didn't totally get what was happening back there but it seemed intense." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Just, the docks?" Percy asks again. The Pegasus seems to decide that the best way to handle things is to drop it. A bit later they're at the Marian. The Pegasus refuses to accept any kind of payment and soon Percy is alone on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Seaking</span>
  </em>
  <span>, trying to figure out what to do. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey folks, sorry for the delay in positing on this. Let's just say that March/April were very hard months and leave it at that. The good news is I'm back! Expect A Shattered World to finish posting next week. Then in June, maybe on Wednesdays, I'll be posting A Great Big World. Also known as Nico's prologue or Nico's side of the story. I might ALSO have a follow up to A World Apart ready to go by September... but I'm not making any promises on that front.</p>
<p>See y'all next Saturday for the final chapter of a Shattered World!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Percy</h1>
<h2>Open Sea, Pacific Ocean</h2>
<p>
  <strong> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ1y_Z6Bc0M"> <em> <span class="u">Evergreen</span> </em> </a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ1y_Z6Bc0M"> <span class="u">by Two Steps from Hell</span></a></strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It's been two weeks since everything went ass backwards in the Forum. He was somewhere in the Pacific Ocean surrounded by water on all sides. Eventually he'd have to dock somewhere for food and other supplies but the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Seaking</span>
  </em>
  <span> was well stocked with canned food and he could go a little longer yet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At first he was denying Iris call after Iris call. Sometimes jumping into the water and swimming downwards as fast as possible to get away from the rainbows. It was hard at first because he was still weak from the fight against the katoblepas but he got stronger every day.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he wasn't avoiding his friends or trying to figure out how one lives on the ocean Percy was trying to get control of the rage barely boiling under his skin. He hated that all those little rumors had gotten out but one was entirely incorrect. The version of how the fight with the katoblepas went was a complete lie and the only person who could have told the story was Nico. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It made one thing painfully clear. Nico really truly hated Percy and just didn't want to say so for some reason. Well, Nico could have the damn camps and Percy would stay out of the way. They clearly weren't the right place for him anyways.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The days begin to blur together. He manages to stop at one of the Hawaiian Islands just long enough to call his mom. She's clearly worried but when he explains what happened and what he's doing she seems to accept it. All she asks is that he contact her every time he's on dry land and that it happens at least once a month. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He agrees of course and makes his mom promise not tell anyone what he's doing in turn. Percy doesn't want to upset his mother, but the time on the sea is doing him good. The manual labor in keeping the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Seaking</span>
  </em>
  <span> going is refreshing. As is the open air and water. He feels more alive and relaxed than he has in months. He's still aimless but for the first time in ages he has hope that will come with time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It's not as lonely as he expects it'd be for someone else either. It's true there's not a lot of people to talk to but Percy's had enough of people, at least for  a bit. The sea is teaming with life and Percy can talk to most of it. Playing with pods of dolphins and floating about with squid gives him something to do to stave off what would otherwise be inevitable boredom. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There's a morning, where after dodging six different Iris Messages Percy decides to go for a long swim as far down as he can go before he gets tired. The waters were calm and he'd learned how to get the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Seaking</span>
  </em>
  <span> to generally stay in one place as long as he furls the sails. Honestly, it was kind of unusual the way the boat would stay where he left it but Percy wasn't going to look a gift pegasus in the mouth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Because of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Seaking's</span>
  </em>
  <span> ability to stay where he leaves it without capsizing Percy is able to stay down in the ocean for several hours. The morning has passed and he's anticipating dinner by the time he breaks the surface of the water near his boat. What he doesn't expect is to see someone standing expectantly at the bow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I was starting to worry that you weren't going to come back up!" Jason says sounding annoyed, but not  a dangerous kind of annoyed. Something Percy has pointedly forced himself to be mindful of since Jason returned to Camp Jupiter in all his godly glory. It was quite a bit of a shock for everyone at first, and he wasn't around much saying he had other duties to attend. But at least Piper was happy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Percy hauls himself onto the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Seaking</span>
  </em>
  <span> and grabs a towel so he can dry his hair. "I always come back, but that doesn't explain why you're here."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Everybody is freaking out." Jason says. "You've been gone for so long they were starting to worry that something had gotten you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, as you can see, I'm fine." Percy says hoping that Jason get's that he's welcome to leave and does. Of course Jason Grace has never will never make things that easy on him, even if the other will live forever. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't think someone that steals a pegasus after getting poisoned and throwing a fit in the Forum, only to go to sea with no plan is fine." Jason says drily. The look he gives makes it clear that of the two of them only one can stand around on this deck and make up bull shit forever, and it's not Percy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Because I'm sure that's an experience you have on a regular basis." Percy shoots back. Jason may be able to stand on this deck forever, but Percy has the advantage of not really caring if he does. This part of open ocean is as good as any other part of open ocean after all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Dude." Jason says and he sounds almost human in his frustration. Though Percy knows it will only be so long before he'll stop caring about the things that once tied him to the world. They all do at some point. Even the good ones like Eurytion. "I'm trying to help."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason with all the powers that godhood present may actually be able to help. He might be able to do something to get his life back in order. Help him convince Annabeth she</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> loves him. Or help him do something to not have to work so damn hard for New Rome's approval. Passing school was probably a no go, but there were still </span>
  <span>possibilities</span>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The thing was he didn't want Jason to fix it. He wanted to continue what he was doing. He wanted to sit on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Seaking</span>
  </em>
  <span> and talk to the sealife. At some point he'd stop by a port to resupply and do it all over. And maybe when he's been out here long enough the ocean will tell him why he's come.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It makes a lot more sense to him as a strategy than bashing his head against the brick wall that was life in New Rome. That was for sure. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm helping myself." He hears himself say. He hadn't quite thought of it that way but perhaps it is true. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You're running." Jason says skeptically.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah." Percy agrees. "To something. Not sure what yet but I think, if I keep going, it will be good."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason watches him for a long time. Percy cycles through several emotions certain that he's about to get in trouble for being a deserting jerk to his family. Anger that Jason thought it was his job to rescue Percy. Fear that Jason might make Percy accept his help regardless of if he wanted it. And finally calm because he was in his element on his boat and if he had to fight Jason over it, well, he'd fought Ares and won.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eventually, his friend sighs. "Do you ever plan on coming back?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The truth is that Percy hasn't really planned any of this and his initial reaction is no. But he knows eventually he'll miss his friends. He'll miss the community and feeling of family.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll visit. But I don't think New Rome or New York, or anywhere land based really is the right home for me." Percy says feeling the words to be right as he says them. "I like it out here. It feels right."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason nods like he'd expected as much. Percy knows he'll eventually give in but he's not surprised when he tries one last time to convince Percy to go back. "Everyone misses you. Even Annabeth, especially Annabeth. They want to help." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thinking about Annabeth stung. Thinking that he'd caused her pain yet again hurt. But it wasn't enough to make him want to go back. "They'll be okay. It's not like I'm gone forever, I just need to sort though a few more things before I visit. I'm sure the guys are all over Annabeth already." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason is smart enough to not confirm or deny that. "If I really can't convince you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You can't. Tell them I say hi?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah." Jason says. Percy closes his eyes and Jason flashes out. When he opens them again it's just him, the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Seaking</span>
  </em>
  <span> and the open sea. Percy decides he's going to go for another swim. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that's a wrap. Thanks so much for reading. Keep a look out for Nico's side of the story in A Great Big World on June third. Love you all!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Question time. I'm working on a self imposed challenge and need y'alls help.  If you want to comment leave me non-canon ships or obscure side ships. It can be from any of Riordan's series and involve any characters as long as it's not a canon ship for a character who has had point of view time. (The Seven basically). I need a ton, like 100, so seriously give me ALL your ships!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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